Wheat is just starting to be delivered into GH Grain, Wingham, Kent, and quality is good so far, according to grain marketing director Charles Roberts.

“The first lot was cut yesterday (25 July), which is about normal for that farm,” he said.

The Gallant milling wheat tested at 82kg/hl and 12-13.5% protein.

Farmers had almost finished combining what little winter barley was grown in the area, and were about half way through oilseed rape, said Mr Roberts.

“We’ve had quite a lot of oilseed rape in; quality is very good and yields are slightly above average.”

A lot of rapeseed, cut last week, had to be dried, he added. “People just wanted to get it in because at the time they were forecasting hail over the weekend.”

Winter barley had some quite high nitrogen levels, and yields ranged from very good to very mediocre.

“Farmers now are just itching to get on with the wheat, but an awful lot of it is several days away, with some still two or three weeks off. It just depends what the weather does.”